Squeezer for collapsible tubes



T. H. MARTIN. SQUEEZER FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES.

APPLCATIQN FILED FEB- 51, 1920.

Patented Aug. 30,1921.

' Ins- E W 61mm Mar/"c4 30 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- rHoMAsHAimIsMARTIN, or COLUMBUS,- OHIO.-

SQUEEZER ron COLLAIBSIBLE TUBES.

To allwhpm it may concern Be it known that I THoMAs HnMAnTIrI, J

a citizen ofthe United States, residing at C- lumbus, inthe countyofFranklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new andusefulImprovementsin Squeezers for Collapsible Tubes; andI do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention,such as will enable others skilled in the art. to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates tosqueezers for collapsible tubes, andmorespecifically to an improved device for expressing the contents,

such as shaving cream, for'instance, froma' collapsible tube.

One object of this invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich consists of ex ceedin 'ly few and simple parts which are securectogether without the use of bolts,

rivets, solder or any fastening means other,

than the inherent elements of the essential supporting and workingpartsof the device,

thereby minimizing the cost of. manufacture and maintenance while.providing a structure that is very easily and conveniently operated,andv which 'presents an unusually pleasing appearance.

Another objectis to provide'a device of this, character in which asingle pressure roller coacts with the shelf. or table to squeezethetube, thereby eliminating the usual-see ond roller, at the sameftimeproviding an exceedingly effective support, for holding the mouth of thetube in" an elevated position,

the roller being spring-pressed towardthe' table to compensate fordifferent thicknesses of each collapsible tube.

Other objects and advantages will be pointed out or implied in thefollowing detailsof description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which proved device.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line 0 l i w al ng h ineSpecification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 30, 1921. Applicationfiledlebruary 5, i920. SerialNo. 356,539.

receive the shanks 5 of a pair of journal.

bearings 6, A pressureroller 7 is journaled in these bearings and ahand-wheel .8 is se-' cured to one end'of the roller 7 and is manu allyoperable for turning the roller. roller 7 axially parallel groove 9 inwhich the Hat end E o'fthe'collapsible T tube is insertable',

A pair ofthumb screws 11 have threaded engagement with the interior ofthe hollow shanks 5, and. a pair ofhelical springs 12 surround theshanks 5 and have their upper ends seated in countersunk portions of theopenings 4:. Each of the thumb screws preferably comprises a knurleddisk 13 and. a substantially flat finger piece 14, the former beingconvenient for affecting adjustments whenthe screws 11 work withrelative ease,

and also constituting spring seats against which the outer or lower endsof the springs 12 press for the purpose of yieldingly holding'theroller17 in such close proximity to the table 3 as to readily coact withthe'l'atter for squeezing and flattening the tubes. The table 3 ispreferably formed with a concaved and polished depression 15 whichserves as a guide for the user in placinglthe tube between the table 3and roller 7, also preventing the, tube from winding helically on theroller 7 and. coming into co'ntactwith the journal bearing 6. v I p Thetable 3 is apertured and screw-threaded at 16, and the upperscrew-threadedend I r v of a standard 17 is fitted in this central-Figure 1 is a front elevation of my 1111- aperture andcoacts with a baseor disk 18 for supporting the table 3 in spaced relation I The. isprovided with a longitudinalor above a table or shelf onwhich the base18 is intended to rest, and thisbase is provided with screw holes, oneofwhich is illustrated at 19, so that the unitary device may be securedin any desired convenient position; It should be understood that thebase'lS can "be securedjto a vertical surface if desired, so that themouth of the paste tube is elevated to a still greater extent than it isshown to be in Figs. 2 and 4, in which case, however, the brush support2, being of wire, can be bent to extend at right angles to its presentposition. i

In operating the device, the slot or groove 9 is turned substantially atright anglestothe position indicated in Fig. 4, the fiat end portion 10of the tube is inserted therein, and the hand-wheel 8 is turned in thedlrection of the arrow in Fig. 4, thereby bending the flat end portionof the tube and pullin 7 it through the space between the roller I andplate or table 3. The flat end 10 is substantially twice as thick, inpractice, as the adjacent flattened portion, and thesprings 12 yield topermit this relatively thick portion to pass through said space. The capof the tube is removed, of=course, to permit the shaving cream or othercontents of the tube to be expressed through its mouth, and

when a sufficient quantity has been obtained from the tube, its cap isreplaced, and the pressure of the springs 12 maintains suflicientfriction between the tube and the plate 3 to prevent accidentalretrograde movement of the roller 7. After-a considerable quantity ofthe material has been expressed from the tube, and the roller 7 hasturned a complete revolution, the flattened portion of the tube beginsto wind upon itself, thereby thickening the material which must bepassed through the space between the plate 3 and roller 7, and thesprings 12 compensate for this additional thickness. In view of the factthat some collapsible tubes are of thicker and stiffer material thanothers, and of the fact that some pasty or creamy contents of such tubesare thicker or more nearly solid than others, it is necessary to regularthe tension of the springs 12, and

the thumb screws 11 serve to effect this function. v

The screw-threaded engagement of the standard 17 with the plate or table3 enables the latter to be quickly and easily removed from the standardwhen desirable,an d moreover in view, of the fact that this singlestandard is connected to the plate 3 at a' point between the apertures4, this provides unobstructed spaces into which the thumb screws 11extend, so that thereis no interference with the'hand of the user inobtaining quick and easy access to the thumb screws.

Although I have described this embodiment of my invention-veryspecifically it is not intended to limit this invention to the exactdetails of construction and arrangement as. described and illustrated,but changes may be made within the scope of the inventive ideas asimplied and claimed. What I claim as my invention'is: 1. In a device forcompressing and forcing the entire contents from a collapsible tube, asupport including a horizontal plate provided with a substantially flatupper face and with oppositely disposed apertures, bearing blocksincluding hollow internally screw-threaded shanks extending through saidapertures, headed adjusting screws threaded in said shanks, coiledsprings surrounding said'screws and shanks between the plate and headsof the screws, permitting yielding of the bearing blocks, a combinedpressure and feed roller carried by said bearing blocks,- means forconnecting the tubelto the roller, and means for imparting rotation tosaid roller.

2. In a devicefor expressing the contents of a collapsible tube, asupport including a table having a flatupper face'with a transverselyextending guide groove formedtherein, said groove merging at its innerend into the fiat face of the table and being curved to conform to thetube which rests therein, and. a .yieldably .mounted combined pressureand feed roller carried by the table. I 3. In a device'for compressingand forcing the entire contents from a collapsible tube, a base, astandard rising therefrom, a horizontally disposed substantiallyrectangular plate secured to the upper end of said standard, saidplatehaving a flat upper-face and being provided with a centrallydisposed transversely extending guide groove which is of a greater depthat its outer end and 'merges atits inner end into the flat face of saidplate, said groove being curved to conform to the shape ofthe tube whichrests therein, said plate being also provided adj acent its oppositeends and in its under faces with sockets and communicating openingswhich extend vertically therethrough, bearing blocks including hollowinternally screwthreaded shanks, the latter extending through saidopenings and sockets, headed adjusting screws co-operative with thescrew-threads of said shanks, coiled springs surrounding said screws andshanks, bearing at one end against the heads on said screws and beingdisposed at the opposite ends in said sockets and resting against theinner ends of the latter, permitting yielding of the bearing blocks, acombined pressure and feed rollerincluding reduced'ends constiblocksincluding spring means under said table and acting on said shanks formoving said bearing blocks downwardly, a combined pressure and feedingroller including reduced ends journaled in said bearing blocks, saidroller being equipped with means to permit connection of the closed endof a collapsible tube herewith one of the refor imparting roto, andmeans connected duced ends of the roller tation to the latter.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. Y

. THOMAS HARRIS MARTIN.

